Fermanagh Unionist AGM at Enniskillen Unionist Hall RMGFH80
WITH JUST 70 days until the Westminster elections, confusion still remains over whether or not a joint unionist candidate is going to stand in Fermanagh South Tyrone.
While the UUP have selected Tom Elliott to stand for the position, the former party leader has not ruled out the idea of a single unionist candidate with the backing of other parties.
This deal could, in essence, mean that Mr Elliott would stand with the backing of the other unionist parties – or he could step aside for another unionist candidate, for whom he and his party would offer their support.
The DUP for their part have remained in virtual silence publicly, however, they told this paper yesterday, Tuesday: “The DUP recognises the desire that exists for unionist parties to work together, and as such we have been attempting to maximise unionist co-operation and return as many pro-union candidates as possible.”
The spokesman said that discussions are continuing with the UUP.
Minority unionist parties, the TUV and UKIP, have been attempting to push the idea of Enniskillen bomb survivor Stephen Gault as a potential unionist candidate – but, speaking this week, UUP candidate Tom Elliott said that he had not been approached to discuss this.
DUP MLA Arlene Foster has said on that element previously that she would be ‘happy’ to discuss.
Speaking prior to his party’s AGM in Enniskillen on Monday night, Mr Elliott told the Fermanagh Herald that while the party is ‘making preparation’, there remains ‘talk of a wider deal’: “But there doesn’t seem to have been a deal as of yet.”
“It appears we’ve been getting close to a deal, the two parties (UUP and DUP) on a couple of occasions, but then just drifted away,” he said.
But how does he feel about essentially ‘sharing’ a candidate with his unionist rivals?
“I’m confident enough – I don’t see a major issue with any of that, that’s fine by me. The parties are obviously looking at that wider perspective and I think that they’re right to do that.
“I wouldn’t call it a unity candidate – what we’d be looking at would be a party candidate to run with the support of other parties. Obviously there are issues in and around two different parties – and we are effectively two different parties, we’ve different perspectives on a lot of things. But the general consensus is that we are unionists – and especially where there are abstentionist MPs with the potential of abstentionist MPs being elected, obviously what we want is representation.”
The TUV’s Alex Elliott said this week that his party had not had further developments with the DUP or their Arlene Foster on the idea of Stephen Gault as a candidate. The party also said that it was their belief that Tom Elliott ‘cannot win’ the Westminster seat. They said that they would ‘only endorse a Unionist candidate who is solely independent of all party allegiances’.
Candidates confirmed as of this week as running in the election include, for Sinn Fein, Michelle Gildernew; the SDLP, John Coyle; the Green Party, Tanya Jones; and the UUP, Tom Elliott.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere